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How Far Has Smartphones Influenced Higher Education?

According to Nielsen, the leading US research firm, around 46% of people surveyed in Q4 2011 has been found to own a smartphone. Thus, with a majority of people having a smartphone, its influence is obviously reaching out to school and college campuses not only in USA, but across the world. Today, school and college goers are using a smartphone for a variety of purposes.

QR Codes

QR codes are square shaped images with black and white designs. They are used for several reasons such as: to create website links, store phone numbers, email ids, direction, and so on. Many universities are allowing their students to scan the QR codes using their smartphone cameras to be directed to the institute's website featuring a brief history of the campus area.


Send/Receive Texts and Links

An increasing number of students are using smartphones to send and receive text, SMS messages, and links to important learning websites and blogs. In this way, students can exchange important learning content and website hyperlinks with each other in almost no time.

Many higher educational institutions have started to implement various smartphone applications to help college and university students learn better. For example, Bloomberg BusinessWeek has discussed the launch of an application called "MyPocketProf" that enables students to sync their class notes with their smartphones. This allows them to review their class materials while on the move. College students can also use "Wi-Fi Finder" to see where they can get internet access to set up a discussion with their classmates any time, even after college hours.

Class Assignments and Lab Experiments

Students can use their phone to work on various class assignments and perform lab experiments on the go. For example, you can take videos of your lab experiment using your mobile gadget. It allows you to review your experiments later and explore ways to improve upon it.

Improve Class Performance

A students' motivation is enhanced with usage of smartphones in the classroom. You will get the opportunity to improve your grades by easily looking up information on the internet. You can also use your phone to instantly find answers to questions put forward by the lecturer during a class. Besides, you can prepare yourself better for the next class by finding relevant content on the topic to be discussed on the next day.

Access to Course Catalogs and Learning Materials

Many educational organizations are using smartphone applications to allow students to view and download their class catalogs and similar other relevant course materials. For example, a student can browse through multiple class brochures instantly to find the course of his/her choice. He or she can then download the course brochure as well as the online registration form to enroll for the upcoming class.


Article Source: Jonathan Reynold


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